Police officers on Tuesday fired tear gas to disperse residents, journalists, activists and political figures gathered at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos to commemorate victims of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.
Among those caught up in the police action were the Lagos State governorship candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Funso Doherty.
The memorial, organised by the Enough is Enough movement, was intended to honour Nigerians who lost their lives during the protests and renew calls for accountability, justice and reforms in the country’s policing system.
However, the commemoration was thrown into disarray when police officers deployed to the venue fired tear gas canisters, forcing participants to abandon the planned wreath-laying ceremony and scramble for safety.
The incident triggered confusion at the tollgate as thick clouds of tear gas spread across the area, sending attendees fleeing and bringing the memorial to an abrupt halt.
The gathering was organised to remember the nationwide #EndSARS demonstrations of October 2020, which were driven by widespread anger over alleged police brutality, particularly against young Nigerians.
The Lekki tollgate became one of the most prominent sites associated with the protests and has since remained a major location for annual commemorations by activists, civil society groups and other Nigerians demanding justice for victims and accountability for alleged abuses.
Tuesday’s disruption prevented participants from completing the planned wreath-laying ceremony, which was intended as a tribute to those who lost their lives during the demonstrations.
The use of tear gas at a gathering organised to honour the victims has raised questions about the police response to the memorial.
As of the time of filing this report, the Lagos State Police Command had yet to issue an explanation for the deployment of tear gas or the circumstances surrounding the disruption.
